Primark celebrates 50 years in Wales

Primark is celebrating half a century of bringing affordable fashion and clothing to the people of Wales with commemorative window displays in Cardiff, Wrexham and Newport installed to mark the milestone. It comes 50 years after Primark opened its first store in Wales, in Newport back in May 1976.

Hanner canrif yng Nghymru – Half a century in Wales

The Newport store opened as just the fifth Primark store in Great Britain, making Wales one of the very first places in the country to welcome the retailer. It remains on the same site today in the heart of the city on Commercial Street and retains the title of the first and smallest store in Wales with 15,400sq. ft of retail space. Following the successful opening, the next store followed in Swansea in 1978 before Cardiff opened its doors in 1981.

The Cardiff store has since expanded and moved location twice and at 87,000 sq.ft is now the largest Primark in Wales. Today, Primark has eight stores covering over 300,000 sq. ft of retail space across Wales’s much-loved cities and towns and employs more than 1,100 retail colleagues nationally.

Kari Rodgers, UK Retail Director at Primark, said: “Welsh high streets and the way people shop has changed enormously over the last 50 years, but the demand for great quality and affordable fashion and essentials is just as strong as it was when we first opened our doors. We’re proud to be part of the community of Wales, providing employment and career opportunities as well playing an active part in the localities we serve. Here’s to the next 50!”

Across the UK, Primark operates 199 stores, including eight in Wales, and employs over 30,000 colleagues. Meanwhile, 2.3 million people every week cite Primark as the main reason for visiting their local high street, and for every £10 spent in a Primark, shoppers spend an additional £3.60 which produces a positive economic ripple effect for local high streets*.

As Primark turns 50 on the Welsh high street, here’s some facts you may not know about the retailer:

• As of today, Primark operates over 300,000 sq. ft of retail space across Welsh high streets, shopping centres and retail parks. That’s equivalent to about three Principality Stadium pitches in total area.

• Newport was the first Primark store to open in Wales in May 1976, making it the 5th ever Primark store on the British high street.

• Primark has more than 1,100 colleagues in Wales.

• 174 colleagues have worked for Primark in Wales for 10 years or more, while the average length of service for a Primark colleague in Wales is 4 years.

• The smallest Primark store in Wales is Newport and is just 15,400 sq. ft.

• Its biggest flagship store is in the capital, Cardiff, which currently sits at 87,000 sq. ft – and it’s also the store that’s moved the most, after relocating twice in 2006 and 2014 to where it is today.

• Since introducing its carrier bag charge, Primark teams across Wales have raised over £1 million and counting for charity. This includes donations to Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital charity and Wales Air Ambulance.

• Primark’s most “Welsh” store goes to Llandudno where the most colleagues speak fluent Welsh.